In gas turbine engines, multistage compressor and turbine rotors typically include two or more discs bolted together in axially spaced relationship. Where the heads of the attaching bolts are not readily accessible after the discs are stacked together, the bolts are made self-retaining in a first of the members while a second is joined with it. The bolts are also made self-locking against rotation so that nuts can be tightened on the bolts to complete the connection. A common practice is to provide the bolts with locking shoulders near the bolt heads and to interference press fit the locking shoulders into holes in a flange of the first member from the back side of the flange. The press fit holds the bolts on the first member while the second member is joined to it. Typically, a flat on the bolt head is located in close proximity to a surface of the first member to prevent bolt rotation when a nut is tightened onto it. This arrangement requires clearance behind the flange on the first member at least equal to the lengths of the bolts. An arrangement not requiring as much clearance behind the flange includes a plurality of spindles each having an enlarged, non-cylindrical mid-region between threaded ends. The mid-region of each spindle fits in a socket in the first member from the front side of the flange and is fastened to the flange by a nut on the back side of the flange. The flange of the second member is then installed on the exposed threaded ends of the spindles and another set of nuts is threaded on the exposed threads to complete the connection. A connection according to this invention is an alternative minimum-clearance connection between annular flanges on gas turbine engine rotor elements.